Swiss cantons St. Gallen and Luzern warn of rising phone and handyman fraud scams

The St. Gallen cantonal police reported about 400 telephone‑fraud attempts since the start of the year, many involving callers posing as police officers, bank employees or other officials. Victims are urged not to install remote‑access programs such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer, nor to disclose passwords or personal data. Completed scams in recent months have caused losses of several hundred thousand Swiss francs, with the true figure likely higher.

In the neighboring canton of Luzern, police have observed an increase in criminals posing as handymen. These impostors gain entry to apartments under the pretext of checking sockets or performing repairs, then distract residents and steal cash, jewelry and other valuables. Authorities advise residents to verify any unexpected service visits with their building administration, avoid letting unknown workers inside, secure valuables in a safe and report suspicious activity to the police emergency line.

Both cantons are intensifying public awareness campaigns through social‑media alerts and advice on how to recognise and avoid these fraud schemes.